Apparatus to mount a mobile device in a vehicle

• US 7,103,397 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Sang-Kil
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US10/197,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.9, 455/90.3, 379/446, 379/454, 379/455, 248/309.1
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0059 using clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers

Abstract

An apparatus to mount a mobile device having a main body with a receiving recess to receive the mobile device, a first locker to support and secure a lower part of the mobile device, a second locker for elastically supporting and securing an upper part of the mobile device to lock up or release the upper part of the mobile device, a lock/release disposed to be movable between a locking position of locking up the mobile device and a releasing position to release the mobile device from the lock-up state, an ejector to lift the mobile device in a given distance when the lock/release is moved to the releasing position, and a mounting fixture including position adjusting units to adjust an angle and a height of the main body and fixing units to fix the position adjusting unit in the vehicle. Accordingly, since the apparatus has the lock/release and the ejector to automatically lock and release the mobile device and the mounting fixture to adjust the position of the main body, mounting and removing the mobile device as well as setting up the apparatus itself and the mobile device in the vicinity of the glass window of the vehicle to ensure the GPS receiver of the mobile device freely to receive and transmit radio waves from satellites at the inside of the vehicle can be easily carried out.

Claims

1. An apparatus to mount a mobile device such as a PDA or portable telephone in a vehicle comprising:

a main body having a receiving recess to receive said mobile device;

a locking unit to lock said mobile device in said receiving recess when said mobile device is inserted into said receiving recess; and

a mounting fixture including at least one position adjusting unit having one end connected with said main body to adjust an angle and a height of said main body positioned in said vehicle, and at least one fixing unit formed on the other end of said position adjusting unit to fix said position adjusting unit in said vehicle,

wherein said at least one position adjusting unit is formed of two pieces, each of which comprises;

a support fixed to said main body; and

a supporting leg connected with said support, having a fold with a lower end foldable at a given length to adjust the position of said main body together with said support.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fixing unit comprises:

an adhesive-fixing portion to adhere said lower end of said fold of one among said two position adjusting units to a portion to be adhered in said vehicle; and

a hook-fixing member to fix said lower end of said fold of the other one among said two position adjusting units by being inserted between a glass window and said portion to be adhered in said vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a lock/release disposed to be movable between a locking position of locking up said mobile device to prevent said mobile device from being ejected in cooperation with said first and second lockers when said mobile device is completely inserted into said receiving recess and a releasing position of releasing said mobile device from the lock-up state to enable said mobile device to be ejected when said mobile device is to be removed; and

an ejector to lift said mobile device by a given distance to make said mobile device easily removable when said lock/release is moved to said releasing position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said lock/release comprises:

a locking unit to lock up said mobile device when said mobile device is inserted into said receiving recess;

a releasing unit connected with said locking unit to release said locking unit from the lock-up state when said mobile device is to be removed; and

an elastic returning unit to provide an elastic force to ensure said locking unit and said releasing unit are maintained in said locking position of locking up said mobile device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said locking unit comprises:

a locking groove formed at a surface of said mobile device and having an engaging member; and

a hook member disposed to be projected from a bottom of said receiving recess and movable between an engaging position engaging with said engaging member of said locking groove and a disengaging position disengaging from said engaging member to engage with or disengage from said engaging member when said mobile device is inserted into or removed from said receiving recess.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said releasing unit comprises a release button to move said hook member between said engaging position and said disengaging position, connected with said hook member of said locking unit and projected from an upper surface of said main body at one side thereof.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said elastic returning unit comprises:

an elastic spring to elastically urge said hook member and said release button connected thereto to be moved to said engaging position, disposed between said release button and a support plate formed in said main body; and

a support rod to receive and support said elastic spring, connected to said release button.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fold has a v-shaped notch structure.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said supporting leg is formed of thermoplastic polyurethane from which the adhesive is not easily detached.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a second position adjusting unit comprises a second supporting leg formed of polyethylene to prevent said hook-fixing portion from being easily cut or torn.

11. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said ejector comprises an elastic unit having an ejecting end disposed at said bottom of said receiving recess to alternately project from and be inserted into said bottom.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said elastic unit comprises a leaf spring having said ejecting end in which a tip is rounded, and an elastic force larger than that of said elastic hanger of said second locker to eject said mobile device by said given distance by disengaging said elastic hanger of said second locker from said elastic hanger-receiving groove when said releasing unit of said lock/release is moved to said releasing position of releasing said locking unit from said lock-up state.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the distance to lift said mobile device is predetermined such that a lower end of the upper part of the PDA is supported by said second locker at the lifted position.

14. A locking apparatus comprising:

a first locker to support and secure a lower part of a mobile device into a recess of a mounting device;

a second locker to elastically support and secure an upper part of the mobile device to the mounting device to lock the upper part of the mobile device when the mobile device is inserted into the receiving recess and to release the upper part of the mobile device from the lock state when a force to remove the mobile device from the receiving recess is applied to the mobile device; and

a mounting fixture including at least one position adjusting unit having one end connected with said main body to adjust an angle and a height of said main body positioned in said vehicle, and at least one fixing unit formed on the other end of said position adjusting unit to fix said position adjusting unit in said vehicle, the at least one position adjusting device being bendable at a hinge and the at least one fixing unit being bendable at a fold.

15. The locking apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first locker comprises:

at least one projection hanger formed to project from one wall of said receiving recess; and

at least one projection hanger-receiving groove formed at a corresponding portion of said mobile device to receive said projecting hanger and thereby to support and secure said lower part of said mobile device.

16. The locking apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said second locker comprises:

an elastic hanger having a hanging end disposed at another wall of said receiving recess to be elastically projected from and inserted into said other wall; and

an elastic hanger-receiving groove formed at the upper part of the mobile device to lock up the mobile device by engaging with said hanging end of said elastic hanger when the mobile device is inserted into said receiving recess.

17. The locking apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said elastic hanger comprises a leaf spring in which a tip of said hanging end is rounded, and said elastic hanger-receiving groove has an rounded upper edge to be in smooth contact with said hanging end of said elastic hanger when the mobile device is inserted into or removed from said receiving recess.